Waiting, In

This term is used in the British service, to mark out the person whose turn is next for duty; as, an officer in waiting. Field-officer in waiting , is the term applied to the monthly duty taken by the field-officers of the three regiments of Foot Guards, who attend the sovereign on court-days, to present the detail of his corps, and receive the parole or other orders from her personally, which are afterwards given to the guards in orders. The field-officer in waiting commands all the troops on duty, and has the immediate care of the sovereign’s person within-doors, as the gold stick has of it while in court. The latter also receives the parole from the sovereign.